1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an image processing system and more particularly to an image synthesizing system for electronically synthesizing data representing an image from data representing bi-level characters, graphic forms and ground tints and data representing multi-level pictures such as photographs, which are inputted from a layout scanner of a computerized typesetting system (hereunder referred to simply as a CTS scanner) or what is called a multi-level picture scanner. Generally, bi-level characters and graphic forms such as illustrations and continuous-tone photographs and pictures mingle in printed matter (e.g., news papers and magazines). An image synthesizing system is used to obtain bi-level pictures from such halftone photographs and pictures and print the thus obtained bi-level pictures.
2. Description of The Related Art
There have been two kinds of conventional methods for synthesizing an image by inserting bi-level characters and graphic forms in a multi-level photograph or picture. In case of a first conventional method, bi-level characters and graphic forms to be inserted are cut out of a picture. Subsequently, the characters and the graphic forms are pasted up on the multi-level photograph. Finally, data representing a synthesized picture is obtained by performing a scan of the photograph by using a scanner. In contrast with this, in case of the other conventional method (hereunder referred to as a second conventional method), bi-level characters and graphic forms to be inserted and a multi-level photograph are first digitized separately from one another. Then, a synthesized picture is obtained by synthesizing or editing data representing the bi-level characters and graphic forms and data representing the multi-level photograph by using a computer.
The first conventional method was employed in, for example, a sporting newspaper company. In an office of the sporting newspaper company, many staffs cut headings, graphic forms and photographs or the like out of materials and effected a synthesizing or editing thereof. The first conventional method, however, has a drawback that other pictures, characters and graphic forms need preparing each time the size of a synthesized picture is changed (namely, each time the magnification or contraction of a picture to be obtained is required. To eliminate this drawback of the first conventional method, it has been desired to perform the synthesizing operation at a high speed and save labour by introducing a computer into an office. As a result of this, a system employing the second conventional method has come into use.
Incidentally, in case of the first conventional method, the bi-level characters and graphic forms thus inserted are not read as binary data but read as multi-level image data. Therefore, a part of a multi-level photograph or picture may be cut out and pasted up on another multi-level photograph.
In contrast, in case of the second conventional method, a photograph or picture and characters and graphic forms are electronically digitized by a color scanner. Then, only a necessary part of digital data obtained by the color scanner is extracted by using a man-machine interface. Further, a synthesizing/editing of a picture is performed by processing the digital data. Final results of the synthesizing/editing are converted into data representing an image composed of bi-level dots (hereunder referred to as binary halftone-dot data). A recording or printing of the synthesized picture is then effected in accordance with the binary halftone-dot data. Incidentally, binary data representing characters and graphic forms, which are digitized by an existent CTS scanner and are preliminarily converted into data representing portions each consisting of uniformly distributed dots of the same size (hereinafter referred to as screen-tint data), and binary picture data other than simple binary data may be employed as data representing characters and graphic forms. Examples of systems for converting data representing characters and graphic forms into screen-tint data are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Provisional Publication Nos. 1-105743 and 1-13587 Official Gazettes. These systems, however, cannot insert bi-level characters and graphic forms into a multi-level picture.
Further, in case where the synthesized picture is recorded or printed as bi-level picture by performing the second conventional method, the multi-level photograph or picture is first converted into a bi-level image. Then, the thus obtained bi-level image and the bi-level characters and graphic forms are synthesized by executing a software program.
Thus, it is necessary for the conventional systems to temporarily store the data representing the multi-level photograph or picture, the binary halftone-dot data representing the result of the conversion of the data representing the multi-level photograph or picture thereinto, the data representing the bi-level characters and graphic forms to be inserted and sometimes the data obtained as the result of the synthesizing of the multi-level photograph and the bi-level characters and graphic forms. Therefore, an auxiliary storage having large storage capacity such as a magnetic disk is required. Moreover, in case where the sizes of the photograph, picture, characters and graphic forms of which data have been once read are changed, it is necessary to obtain data representing the photograph, picture, characters and graphic forms of which the sizes are increased or reduced. This takes much processing time in case where this processing is performed by executing the software program. Additionally, every change of the sizes of the photograph, picture, characters and graphic forms, it is necessary to perform the synthesizing/editing processing over again. The present invention is created to resolve these problems of the conventional system.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to an image synthesizing system which can reduce storage capacity of an auxiliary storage such as a magnetic disk, can perform the functions of regulating the size of a synthesized image by effecting interpolation, expansion and contraction of a multi-level photograph or picture, of arbitrarily coloring and changing the colors of bi-level characters or graphic forms, of converting the multi-level photograph or picture and the bi-level characters and graphic forms into bi-level halftone-dot photograph (or picture), characters and graphic forms independently from one another, of arbitrarily indicating the number of halftone lines (hereunder referred to as a halftone line number) and a halftone-dot angle correspond to each region of the characters and graphic forms, of extracting arbitrary regions of the characters and graphic forms and synthesizing the extracted regions of the characters, the graphic forms and the multi-level photograph or picture and of outputting data representing a resultant synthesized image consisting of bi-level dots and can perform each processing at a high speed by implementing firmware.